In a rare televised address, the Queen has praised Britain's 'national spirit' in facing the challenge of coronavirus, evoking wartime memories to reassure those feeling a painful sense of separation. 'We will meet again,' she said, in only the fifth special broadcast of her reign aside from Christmas messages.
Drawing on her first broadcast to the nation some 80 years ago, when she and her sister Margaret spoke to evacuated children, the Queen said: 'Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do.' She added that better days will return and that success will belong to everyone.
The broadcast, recorded at Windsor Castle with a single cameraman in protective equipment, was timed in close consultation with Downing Street. A senior No 10 official said the aim was to help lift the nation's spirits and shore up public commitment to self-isolation guidelines amid fears that warmer weather could lead some to waver.
The Queen, who turned 94 this month, acknowledged the pain felt by those who have lost loved ones and praised NHS frontline workers, care workers, and those carrying out essential roles. She also thanked those staying at home, saying: 'Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.'
Her message incorporated footage of NHS staff, workers making deliveries, armed forces constructing a field hospital, and videos of the #clapforourcarers moments, along with rainbows drawn by children. 'The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit,' she said.
